Grip



Mar. 3. 1925- 1,528,648

- G. M. ARMSTRONG GRIP Filed April 15, 1921 WITNESSES Patented Mar. 3, 1925.

UNITED STATES.

1,528,648 PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE M. ARMSTRONG, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO ARMSTRONG GOLF GRIP CORPORATION, OF BALTIMORE,

LAND.

MARYLAND, A CORPORATION 01 MARY- GRIP.

Application filed April 18, 1921. Serial No. 401,135.

clubs or their equivalent are utilized, such as golf, for instance, it is essential in order to secure satisfactory playing results tohold the club or its equivalent in a correct manner. In golf, for instance, the base of the head of the club should rest upon the ground in a designated position, provision for which is made by the manufacturers of the clubs by the manner in which said clubs are built; that is to say, the face of the club-head occupies a certain predetermined relation to the base and inthe majority of clubs is laid back at certain predetermined angles, de-

pendent upon the results to be accomplished.

Thus, the clubs for distance, commonly termed drivers, have faces which are intended to be set at right angles, or approximately so, to the ground while in other clubs, for instance of the type known as cleeks, mid irons, mashies, niblicks, putters,

etc., and intended for shorter distances or for pitching the'ball higher in the air over obstacles, the angleof the face of said club is in accordance with the purposes for which it is intended. To correctly hold the various golf-clubs, the grip should rest between the thumb and forefinger in such a manner that two parallel Vsv are formed and the face of 'the head should be brought against the ball. The object of the present invention is to provide an improved grip of.

nov'el constructlon whereby t e proper position in which to hold the club is attained,

without special effort on the part of the player. Other objectsof my invention will appear from the description hereinafter and 4 the features of novelty will be pointed out in the appended claim.

In the accompan ing drawings which I shows one example 0 the invention, Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing the improved gip applied to the handle end of a golfstic ig. 2 isa detail cross-sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. In carryingforward the invention the improved rip 5 adapted to be applied, by means 0 a suitable tool to the handle end of a golf stick 6 or other playing club. As

'shown, the grip consists of 'anvelastic rubber tube adapted to be stretched onto a golf 6 0 stick handle and rovided throughout its length with a longltudinally disposed sighting marker 8 and throughout its external surface with non-slip gripping projections 8". The rubber tube 5 may be made by any suitable manner and by any of the processes known to the rubber manufacturer but in all forms of the invention a distinctive feature thereof is to make the tube such length and dimensions that the same can be stretched onto a golf stick handle in some suitable manner, such for instance as by a tool of the character disclosed in Patent No. 1,488,901 dated April 1, 1924. When once a plied the elastic rubber tube will remain rmly in place throughout its length and will providea comfortable non-slipping ip for the hands of the player, the efectiveness of the grip being substantially increased by providing the external surface of the tubewith superficial gripping projections of some suitable character. These gripping projections may necessarily vary in degree of projection from the surface of the tube and may be of any suitable form, and one example of these projections is shown in the drawlngs which, illustrate the tube as being formed with a plurality of corrugated or waving bands 8 extending throughout. the length of the tube and together providing the non-slipping projections for the external surface of the tube.

The marker'band designated by the reference number 8 .is vulcanized or otherwise suitably formed in or with the tube and may be of the same or a distinguishing color, but in all forms of the invention this longitudinally disposed marker band 8 constitutes a si htmg line which aids the player in roper y addressing the club head to the be. and also in taking his gri on the club handle. As well understo both of these conditions are necessary to enable the that the designations may be in forms other than bands Without in' any way decreasing the efliciency thereof as means to indicate the correct holding of the grip.

WVhile the grip is primarily intended for use in connection with golf-clubs and is intended to reduce the ping of such clubs to the simplest possible form, it will be understood that the grip may also be efficiently utilized in connection with other types of clubs which may be incorrectly held, due to lack of experience or other causes.

In the playing of many games in which clubs or one kind -or another are used and more particularly in the game of golf, it is essential to hold the club in a correct manner in order to secure thebest results for the player. The correct grip may, as previously stated, be dependent upon theparticular form of the club being used or it may result from an individual development in the use of the club and in either case, without long practice, is diificult of duplication in successive playings of the game. By locating the designation in conformance with the correct holding of the grip, such correct grip may easily be duplicated in successive uses of the club without requiring any special effort on the part of the player and without necessitating any special concentration of mind in order to avoid mistakes. While correct holding or grip- 1 the above is particularly true of golf-clubs, it is alsotrue of. clubs of other types, such as polo'mallets and'thelike, and it will be understood that my invention is equally vWell adapted for use in connection with such clubs of other types. o

By making the' grip of rubber and providing the same with external non-slip gripping projections which are raised with respect to the contiguous portions of the grip, the latter is of maximum efficiency for holding the club and particularly in wet weather prevents slipping thereof when the stroke is made. The reliability of the club is thereby increased, thls being true also, although-- perhaps to a lesser degree, of the grip in which the bands are countersunk or level with the remainder of the grip.

Various changes in the specific forms shown and described may be made within the scope of the claim without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim A golf stick gripconsisting of an elastic rubber tube adapted to be stretched onto a golf stick handle and provided throughout its external surface with non-slip gripping projections and also with a longitudinally extending sighting marker.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. I

GEORGE M. ARMSTRONG. 

